Sink Into Oblivion
by accioamber
Summary: Ron and Hermione want a baby so bad...but what if it's not in the cards for them? And how will they handle it when Harry and Ginny get pregnant? They can't handle the disappointment and depression forever.
1. And She Wonders Where These Dreams Go

**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter. **

**Thanks for reading.**

It was a cold day in October of 2004 when Harry Potter returned home from work. Ginny was sitting on the sofa in the living room, knitting, when she heard the front door open.

"It's bloody freezing out there. I'm home!" Harry said, stamping his feet on the carpet and taking off his jacket. "Where are you?"

"In here," Ginny called, smiling at the sound of her husband's voice. Harry came in and took a seat next to her on the couch.

"You know, there are easier ways to do that." He said in a teasing voice, nudging her wand, which was sitting on the table.

"Hush. I like to do it the muggle way sometimes...it makes it feel like more of an accomplishment. Besides, I like to do this." She said.

"I know, I'm just teasing. It looks good." Harry kissed her quickly on the cheek. "After dinner, I'm going to the Leaky Cauldron to have a butterbeer with Ron. Things have been so crazy at work I haven't seen him in more than a week."

"I saw Hermione today, she came by for lunch." Ginny said, setting down her knitting and snuggling up next to Harry. He put his arm around her and she laid her head on his shoulder. "I finally told her about..." she laid her hands on her still-flat stomach.

"How'd she take it?" Harry asked, absently kissing the top of Ginny's head.

"She was actually really happy for us. I thought she'd be upset, and I asked her if she was okay and she told me not to be silly, that it was great news."

"I hope she meant it," Harry said worriedly and thinking about all the heartache Hermione and Ron had gone through.

"I think she did. I asked her not to tell Ron, though. I wanted one of us to do it, and I think it should be you, tonight."

Harry thought about it. On the one hand, he did not want to tell Ron that he and Ginny were expecting a baby, but on the other hand, it felt like the right thing, like it was his responsibility to tell him this. After more than 14 years of friendship, and after marrying his sister, he and Ron were more like brothers than anything else, and they still shared everything, the same as when they were in school. You couldn't live through a battle like the one at Hogwarts in May of 1998 and not be friends, at the very least, for the rest of your lives.

"You're right. I'll tell him tonight. Come on, let's eat, I'm starved."

For dinner, they had a steak and kidney pie that Ginny had baked earlier, along with some soup and mashed potatoes. Harry ate heartily and then, after they had washed the dishes together, he stretched and pulled on his coat and shoes.

"About time for me to meet Ron. I won't be back too late." Harry went over to Ginny, who was standing at the bookcase choosing something to read for the evening.

"Okay. Please tell him gently. I love you."

"Love you, too. And I love you, squirt." Harry said quietly, laying his hand flat on Ginny's stomach, imagining their son or daughter that was living in there, growing ever so slightly, and who would be with them before they knew it.

Ten minutes later, Harry strolled into the pub and saw Ron sitting at the bar, already on his second drink. "One for me, Tom, please," he called to the barkeep. He clapped Ron on the shoulder and said, "How's it going, mate?"

They had all changed at least a little bit since they were 17. Not just physically, but emotionally as well. At 24, they were both hardly old men, but with everything that Ron had been going through, he'd gained a little bit of weight and his demeanor had changed. He was still the old, fiery Ron, but there was a bit of depression behind him.

"Lousy." Ron muttered, passing his glass lightly back and forth between his hands. "I came home from work and Hermione was crying, and I could barely get why out of her." He looked up at Harry, with so much pain and sadness reflected in his eyes. "She took another test today and it was negative. Again."

"Ron, I'm so sorry." Harry said, and he meant it. Not just for the fact that Hermione wasn't pregnant yet, but for the fact that he and Ginny had gotten what Ron and Hermione wanted so much, and had tried for so desperately, without even meaning to.

"I know. Seven months we've been trying to get pregnant, and no one can give us an answer as to why we can't. No one, not all of the Healers we've seen. And I have my wife, at home, who's beyond upset and there's nothing I can do about it."

"It's going to be okay, Ron." Harry said quietly, taking a drink from the butterbeer that Tom had passed him. To be honest, he wasn't sure if he could tell him now.

"You know what, Harry? I'm not so sure it is going to be okay. What if we just aren't meant to be parents? I mean, what if it's not in the cards for us? I'd probably mess a kid up royally anyways and be the worst father in the world."

"Listen to me. It will happen. You and Hermione will someday have a baby and you will both me amazing parents, I promise. You care way too much to mess a child up. And I know that this might be not the best time but I have to tell you this right now." Harry took a drink and stared down at the top of the bar. He couldn't look at him, didn't want to see the look on his face.

"This should be good news...and under different circumstances, it would be. Ginny's pregnant. She's due in May." Finally, Harry looked up and met Ron's eyes. There was still pain behind them, but there was no anger, as he had expected there to be. For a moment, there was nothing, nothing but that old pain. He had known Ron long enough to know that his mind was running at a million miles a minute.

After a few moments of silence, in which Ron had drained the rest of what was in his glass and signaled for another, he finally said to Harry, "Harry, this _is_ good news. Just because Hermione and I are having a hard time having a baby doesn't mean I'm not excited that I'm going to have a niece or nephew!" Finally, both men smiled. Ron, out of happiness and excitement for his best friend and sister; Harry, out of relief that Ron wasn't upset, and also because he could finally let himself feel happy about having his first child.

"Ginny told Hermione earlier but she wanted me to be the one to tell you, that's why Hermione didn't say anything."

"Congratulations, mate," Ron said, hugging Harry hard. "Sirius would have been so excited about this, and your parents, too."

"Thanks. It was kind of...well...for lack of a better word, unexpected, but we are happy, Ginny and I. The only thing that would make us happier is if this was the two of you, as well."

Ron sighed. "I suppose it will happen, one day...at least, that's what we are hoping for."

Harry felt much better after telling him this, and the two men settled back and had a good time together. They talked about work and how busy they had both been, and Ron told him about George had been working on a new line of products for the joke shop. After about an hour, they made plans for a makeshift game of Quidditch that weekend and to all have dinner together.

"I'll call George and maybe Mum and Dad, if that's okay with you. I know they're dying to see you and Ginny." Ron said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a couple of galleons to pay for his drinks.

"That'll be great, we still have to tell them our news." Harry said.

"Well, this was good, Harry, it was great to see you. I should be getting home, Hermione was still upset when I left, I asked her if she wanted me to stay home but she didn't...either way, I should get back to her. Talk to you soon, mate." They shook hands and, impulsively at the last second, Harry gave Ron a quick hug.

"Ron. I really am sorry." he said quietly.

"No worries. See you later." And they both left.

Ron walked through the front door of his home. He was only about two miles away from his childhood home, and a little farther than that from Harry. All the lights were off, except for the one in his and Hermione's bedroom. He sighed and dumped his jacket on a chair in the living room and contemplated getting another drink...there was some firewhiskey on top of the fridge...but he stopped himself. He'd been drinking an awful lot lately and he knew it upset Hermione, but it made him feel better, at least for a short period of time.

He headed for their bedroom and pushed open the door. "Honey?" Hermione was laying in their bed and she looked up at him when he came in. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her hair was a mess, piled into a knotted bun on top of her head. She was wearing some old pajamas and looked completely empty, completely broken. Like she had nothing left in her to fight, or to give. Ron's heart broke when he looked at her, the love of his life, knowing that she was hurting and he couldn't do anything more to make it better.

Without a word, he kicked off his shoes and then climbed into bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her. She snuggled into him, until she felt safe and protected in his arms. She started to cry again, silently, but Ron didn't need to ask why. This was the most emotional she had been in a long time, and he knew it was because of the news Ginny had told her today.

He held her tightly, and tried over and over to steel his reserve and not cry himself. After a few minutes, though, he lost his battle and started to cry, too. They were tears of defeat, ones he didn't want to shed but couldn't help. It hurt, not being able to have a baby with his wife, not when they wanted to start a family so badly. They wanted kids; he had come from a big family, which he had loved. Hermione had been an only child, and lonely, so she wanted many children as well.

But mostly these were tears that meant something neither of the pair wanted to acknowledge-jealousy. As happy as they genuinely were for their best friends, they were also jealous. Harry and Ginny hadn't even really _wanted_ this; they certainly hadn't tried over and over, in vain; they hadn't gone to appointments at St. Mungo's to find out what might be wrong; they hadn't cried endless tears and felt nothing but disappointment and inferiority. It had simply...happened.

"I want a baby so bad," Hermione whispered through her tears.

"I know, honey. Me too." Ron kissed the top of her head.

**A/N: I originally started this a one-shot, but it started getting a little long so I thought maybe another chapter or two, if you guys like it. Please R&R : ]**

**ALSO, even though I know wizards probably don't have cell phones...I might need to pretend they do...haha.**


	2. I Used To Feel Your Fire

A/N: Still don't own Harry Potterrrr ;[ Haha. Hope everyone likes this chapter, thanks for reading and reviewing.

Ginny looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. "I feel like a house." She said, placing her hands on her stomach. At 17 weeks pregnant, she had already gained quite a bit of weight, and looked a bit bigger than most women did at that stage. She was wearing a black and white maternity dress, one that Molly Weasley had helped make so it fit her perfectly. Harry finished doing up the last button on his shirt and then came over to his wife.

"Hey. You look beautiful." He gently placed his hand on her belly and felt their baby send up a kick. "See? Harry Jr agrees." He said teasingly, and then he kissed her. She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed. Harry, as it turned out, was right. Ginny did look beautiful. Pregnancy agreed with her. She looked radiant, her skin was healthy and glowing, and she carried the baby well. For the most part, Ginny loved being pregnant. She was a bit more self conscious about her weight than Harry would like her to be (he hated to see her uncomfortable, because she truly was beautiful and he wanted her to know that) but she had basically come to terms with it and knew it was all for the sake of bringing their child into the world.

"Are you ready to go? Mum said she wants us over at 4 o'clock." Ginny smoothed the shoulders of Harry's shirt and took one last look at herself in the mirror.

"Yeah, come on." Harry pointed his wand at the bag of gifts that they'd gotten for everyone, muttered a spell, and it vanished. Then he stowed his wand in his pocket and took Ginny's hand.

Ron was sitting on the couch next to George, who was drinking a glass of mead and lazily creating small objects in the air made out of flames. A tiny dragon raced around the room, and after it had vanished, he replaced it with a wolf. Christmas was always a rough time for George because it had been Fred's favorite holiday, one of the few things the twins had disagreed upon, George's preference being Halloween. It had been nearly seven years since Fred's death, but sometimes it felt like it had happened just the day before.

Bill and Fleur had arrived shortly after Ron and Hermione. Fleur was in the kitchen with Hermione and Molly, finishing up the last of the huge Christmas feast. Bill was out back with Arthur, looking through some old things in the shed. The last to arrive would be Harry and Ginny; Charlie was still in Romania and Percy rarely showed up for holidays. Ron heard a crack, one that he recognized as the sound of someone apparating or disapparating.

As Ron stood up, his four year old niece, Victoire, came running into the living room. She was Bill and Fleur's daughter, a precocious little girl who greatly resembled her mother and was very close with her uncle George. Ron smiled at her and then heard a knock; he went to answer the door so his mother didn't have to.

"Happy Christmas, Ron," Ginny said, hugging her brother tightly. Ron felt Ginny's stomach press up lightly against him. He and Hermione had still been unsuccessful in getting pregnant, but both of them had made a vow, after the first night after the Potters had told them, that they were going to let nature take its course. They were still trying to have a baby, but they had scheduled no more doctors appointments and Hermione had stopped taking pregnancy tests whenever she felt a bit different, which had averaged at least once a month. The morning after they had cried together, they set down those rules, and agreed that if it didn't happen for them within the next few years, they would look into adoption. In the meantime, their attempts to make peace with what was happening or not happening for them had enabled them to be get excited about the future birth of Harry and Ginny's baby.

"Happy Christmas," Ron said, hugging Ginny back and then giving Harry a quick hug. He rubbed Ginny's belly and said, "And Happy Christmas to my niece or nephew. We can't wait to meet you, you'd better hurry up!" He winked at the pair.

A short while later, everyone was tucked around the table, which was buried underneath all of the delicious foods Molly had prepared. Everyone dug into their food, and Ron, who was seated in the middle between Hermione and Harry, reached for a roll and asked him, "So, have you found out whether it's a boy or a girl yet?"

Harry shook his head. "We've decided to wait until the baby is born."

"Come on, where's the fun in that?" Ron said around a mouthful of mashed potatoes before he swallowed. "I want to know if I'm having another niece or if we'll get a nephew this time."

"You'll just have to wait," Ginny said playfully.

After the meal was over, Bill, Ron and Harry set to work clearing the table. They stacked all the plates and silverware up in the sink. The three were about to start the washing up when an ear-splitting shriek hit their ears. Bill recognized it immediately as his daughter and left to see what had happened; Harry and Ron followed.

Ginny and Hermione had been bringing in the last few dishes the boys had forgotten about, and sighed when they both saw the mountain of plates and things that had been abandoned. "Leave it to the men to think they were done after moving the dishes around," Hermione said, chuckling.

Ginny laughed. "Exactly. We might as well just do them ourselves and save the grief." The two witches took out their wands and pointed them at the dishes, which started washing themselves.

As they were working, Hermione turned to Ginny. "So, how have you been doing? I feel like we haven't spoken in ages, but I've been busy at work and just haven't had time to call in on you."

Ginny smiled. "I know, Harry and I have been rather busy as well. We've started, uhm, picking out the things for the baby's room, and we're going to start working on it soon. It's still a bit early but we're really excited. He's been busy at work, too, I don't think he and Ron have gotten together lately." Ginny looked down. She always felt slightly uncomfortable mentioning anything about her pregnancy to Hermione or Ron.

"I'm sure the nursery will be lovely...and I would love to help if you'd like me to." Hermione glanced over at Ginny's face, which had turned a light shade of pink. "Ginny, I want to. Look, every time you talk about the baby you act as if I'm going to break down. I'm not going to lie and say that Ron and I aren't still upset that we're having trouble getting pregnant, or that I don't have small flashes of jealousy. But I love you, Ron loves you, and we are excited to be aunt and uncle to another child and ecstatic for the two of you."

As soon as Hermione finished, Ginny turned and impulsively threw her arms around her. "You don't know how much that means to me. This whole time I've felt awful, completely awful, that Harry and I have this when you two don't. But you will be a great parent someday."

"I certainly hope we will," Hermione said with a forced smile, and they both went back to washing the dishes. Ginny quickly finished up with the last dish in her pile, and told Hermione she was going to get the presents and they'd be waiting for her in the living room. Hermione nodded and continued what she was doing, but as soon as Ginny left, she gently touched her stomach. There was something she and Ron had been keeping from the rest of the family, something that she yearned to tell Harry and Ginny, because they were their closest friends. Ron hadn't wanted to tell them, claiming that it was private and he didn't want anyone's pity, least of all Harry and his little sister's. It was just as well, she supposed, because she was unsure that she'd be able to get the words out without losing it, as she so often had lost it during that last week. Her stomach was empty and hollow, more so than usual, because of the baby she had lost last week. She felt an echo inside, her body telling her that something had been there, and now there was nothing.

She willed the tears that had started falling to stop. She wiped her eyes, took a few deep breaths, and dabbed at her eyes with a towel. Then she went to join the family for presents. She was used to heartache.

A/N: Next chapter, birth of a baby, maybe =]


	3. But You Know I'm Yours

**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter.**

**Just a side note, we don't have an accurate birth date for James Sirius Potter, so I chose to make him what would be a year older than his younger brother. Thanks for reading. =]**

"Hey, guys!" Harry said, opening the front door and letting his friends inside. It was three weeks after Christmas, and at Ginny's insistence, Harry had invited Ron and Hermione over to have dinner and help decorate the nursery. Ron shook Harry's hand and Hermione gave him a quick kiss on the cheek as they came in. He watched them sit down on the couch and start talking to Ginny as Harry remembered his conversation with her a few days ago.

"I just don't think they're as okay with this as you think they are, that's all I'm saying."

"Hermione told me at Christmas that they were! Why would she offer to help if she wasn't? I think it gives her something to do, to keep busy and keep her mind off of it. Just mention it to Ron, will you?"

And so he had, and so there they were. Ginny clapped her hands together. "Well, I got the paint the other day, do you want to start? I told Harry that he and Ron have to cook dinner tonight," Ginny said, winking at Hermione, who laughed.

"Well, good luck, guys," Hermione said, touching Ron's knee gently before getting up and following Ginny into the nursery.

Hermione looked around. The room was beautiful already, even without the paint on the walls. Because they'd be using magic, there was no danger of them getting paint on anything, so all of the furniture that Ginny and Harry had put together was still in there. They'd bought a beautiful cherry wood crib with a matching rocking chair, and there was a matching changing table and dresser as well. Hermione looked around at everything with a smile on her face. "It's beautiful, Ginny."

Ginny smiled. "I'm glad we're waiting to find out if it's a boy or a girl, but I wish I could buy more clothes." She opened one of the drawers and showed Hermione the tiny baby clothes, in as gender neutral of colors and styles as she could find. "Shall we get started?"

They started painting, pointing their wands at the open can of paint and sending it onto the wall. As they worked, Hermione felt that the time was right to tell Ginny about her miscarriage. She had kept it a secret for far too long, and it was eating away at her.

"Harry said that green was more of a boy's color than a girl's, but I don't think so. I think he or she will love it." She said happily.

"Ginny, I really have to tell you something." Hermione said quietly.

"What is it?" She set her wand down, turning and looking at Hermione curiously. "What's wrong? I thought you said you were okay with this!"

"No, no, I am more than okay with it. Please. I just wanted to tell you, because I hate keeping secrets...I had a miscarriage before Christmas. I had just found out and then three days before Christmas, I miscarried. I just...you're like my sister, Ginny." Hermione said with tears in her eyes.

"Oh, why didn't you tell me?" She wrapped her in a hug and they both cried.

"Ron didn't want to. He said it was private, between the two of us. He didn't even want to tell Harry." Hermione sniffed.

"That brother of mine, I swear." Ginny said angrily. "It just wasn't the right time, that's all. You and that thick skulled bonehead that I'm supposed to call my brother are meant to be parents. I know it."

Hermione stiffened slightly. How could something she and Ron tried for so hard come at the wrong moment? When was the right moment? When would whoever was deciding all of this stop messing around and let them be parents? She brushed it off. Ginny was just trying to help, and after all, no one had made her tell her.

"Thank you. And he really is thick sometimes, isn't he?" Hermione laughed.

"Yeah, and so is Harry. I bet they're both out there right now, trying to figure out, with magic, how to turn on the stove!"

break-break-break-

As the months went by, winter faded away into a warm spring, and Ginny grew bigger and bigger. Her due date in early May was fast approaching, and she was becoming more uncomfortable by the day. As much as Harry wanted to take off work to be with her 24/7, he just couldn't. Things at the Ministry had been busier than ever lately, and even though he knew they were financially stable, he couldn't get the fact that they would now have another person to take care of, someone who was totally dependent on them. He wanted to be sure everything would be fine, and that required continuing to work.

The morning of May 2, 2005, Harry woke up and opened his eyes slowly, letting them adjust to the light. He reached on the bedside table and put his glasses on, letting the reality of what day it was sink in slowly. 7 years ago, with the help of the people who had stood behind him, he had defeated Lord Voldemort. He and everyone around him had also suffered terrible losses, including Fred, Remus and Tonks. This day was bittersweet, to say the very least. He knew Ginny was awake, and she probably hadn't slept. He hugged her tightly from behind, as close to her as he could. He laid his hands gently on her stomach, and the baby sent up a kick.

"Good morning, honey." Harry said quietly and Ginny turned over.

"Morning."

"How are you holding up?" He asked, looking into her eyes.

"I'm alright, I suppose. What about you? 7 years, huh?" A small smile met Ginny's lips.

"Yep. I'm alright, I suppose. I, uh, I have to get ready for work." He kissed Ginny gently on the lips and went into the bathroom, stepping into the shower.

A little bit later, he pulled on his work clothes and went to find Ginny to say goodbye. He found her taking deep breathes and leaning against the wall.

"What's wrong?" He asked, rushing over to her and putting his arm around her. He tried to steer her over to the couch, but she wouldn't move.

"It—it's time." She looked up at Harry with fear in her eyes, and then down at her stomach.

Six hours later, the Potters were in St. Mungo's and Ginny was well into labor. Her left hand gripped the side of the hospital bed, her right crushing Harry's, as she let out a loud scream. She finished up a big push and flopped back against the bed. "This is bloody agony!" Ginny said, and Harry nodded quickly, thinking of the bones she was crushing in his hand.

"It's almost over, love," he said, and the healer who was at her feet nodded in agreement.

"Give me one more big push, Ginny dear, and you'll meet your new little one."

Ginny looked over at Harry and took a deep breath. With it, she pushed as hard as she could. Everything went blurry with pain, and with a rush she felt something leave her body. Where there had been something inside of her, now there wasn't-but she didn't have any time to reflect on this as the healer laid her baby in her arms.

"It's a boy!"

Ginny started sobbing as she looked down into the baby's face. He was crying and his cheeks were pink with effort. His eyes were shut tight against the bright lights that were all over the room, and before she had a chance to look him over, the healers had whisked him away to clean him up and do what they needed to do.

Harry was crying too, and he leaned into Ginny, hugging her tightly. He kissed her and then said, "I love you. God, he's perfect."

"I love you, too," she said wiping away her tears and watching as the healers bustled about, weighing their son and measuring him. He was still crying, and Ginny wanted nothing more in the world than t hold him in her arms again. She had a feeling it would always be like that; no amount of time would be enough with this clearly perfect little person. "Hey, you should go tell everyone." Ginny said softly to Harry.

"Tell everyone? Now?" He asked.

"Yes, and then come right back because I don't want to be without you for a second longer than we have to be. Go quickly, while they're taking care of him." Ginny said, looking up into Harry's green eyes.

He nodded, kissed her again, and rushed off down the hallway, where Molly, Arthur, Ron, Hermione, George, Bill, Fleur and their little girl, Victoire were waiting to hear of the news that Ginny had had the baby.

Harry rushed back as soon as he could, and Ginny made room for him on the bed next to her. He sat down and put his arm around her, just as the healer came over with their son.

"Mr. and Mrs. Potter, I'd like you to meet your seven pound, eight ounces, 21 inches long, perfectly healthy baby boy." The healer said, handing the baby over to Ginny. As soon as he was set in her arms, he stopped whimpering and looked up at his parents. Harry beamed with pride at his son, who had his nose and ears, but Ginny's everything-else. His eyes were the same light brown color as hers, and Ginny grinned at him.

"I thought for sure he'd have your eyes." Ginny said to her husband, who shrugged.

As the Potters were marveling at their beautiful baby boy, and everyone else was bustling around the waiting room, hoping that soon Harry would come back and say that they were ready for some visitors, Hermione came back from the bathroom and sat down next to Ron. A huge grin was on her face, and she laced her fingers with his.

Ron looked up at her, smiling slowly as he looked at her face. "What's up, love?"

"I'm pregnant." She whispered to him, kissing him gently on the cheek.

As Hermione announced this news to her deliriously happy husband, Ginny nodded. "Yes, it's perfect."

"I love it." Harry said, then he leaned over and kissed his now-sleeping baby on the forehead. Their May 2 baby, a symbol of the wonderful things that had come as a result of that day at Hogwarts. "Welcome to the world, James Sirius Potter."

**A/N: Should I do another chapter?**


	4. Tell me what it takes

**A/N: 'Ello. I haven't updated this story in a bit, I've been busy working on my two other in-progress stories and a one-shot (shameless plug, check them out if you like lol). In my absence, it just so happens I did not acquire the rights to Harry Potter...so I still don't own the series. Darn it all. Haha ;]**

**Oh, and just a heads up, classes are starting in less than a week (major sad face) so I will not be able to update that much. I will when I can, though. Trust me, I'll be brainstorming during classes!**

He had only been born 4 hours ago, but James Sirius Potter was already the center of Harry and Ginny's world. The tiny baby had already had many visitors in the short period of time since he'd been born, including his grandparents Arthur and Molly, his Uncles George and Bill, and his aunt Fleur and cousin Victoire. Now Harry was sitting next to Ginny on her bed, holding his son in his arms, enjoying a few minutes of alone time.

"I wonder where Ron and Hermione are," Harry said quietly, because James was starting to fall asleep, his bright brown eyes drooping.

"Oh, Ron popped in while you were in the bathroom and said that he and Hermione would be here in a little bit. He said they had some news, and they wanted to do something." Ginny stifled a yawn herself. It was already well past midnight and she was exhausted. She wanted to wait for Ron and Hermione before she got some rest, though.

"I can't get over this. It's the best feeling in the world, besides marrying you, of course," Harry said with a small smile. He looked up as he heard a quiet knock on the door. "Come in." he called out softly, not wanting to wake the baby.

Ron and Hermione came into the room, bringing with them a giant teddy bear that the baby wouldn't be able to fully enjoy for several years, but which was sweet nonetheless, and a bouquet of flowers. "Congratulations!" Hermione said enthusiastically, but then bit her lip, seeing the baby start to stir in Harry's arms. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she said quietly as James' face wrinkled into an angry frown at being disturbed.

"No, no, it's okay," Harry said to them, switching James to his other arm as the baby opened his eyes reluctantly. He'd only been asleep for a few moments, and looked none too happy about being awake again, but at least he wasn't crying.

"He's been waiting to meet his favorite aunt and uncle," Ginny said with a sleepy smile as Ron and Hermione came closer.

"He's perfect." Hermione said. Ron was standing next to her, his arm around her waist, as they looked down at James. "Can I hold him?" She asked.

"Of course," Harry said, getting up and gently handing over the baby to Hermione. James squirmed in her arms, and while Harry and Hermione were busy with him, Ron went over to Ginny.

"You did a good job, sis," Ron said, sitting on the edge of her bed and putting his arm around her shoulder. Ron and Ginny had become much closer as the years went on, and while they sometimes still fought the way they had as kids, they shared a lot with each other and enjoyed each others company.

"Thanks," she said with a smile, looking up at him. "I can't believe I have a son. I mean, a few hours ago he was still inside of me, and now he's here. I might just be exhausted but I can't really wrap my head around it yet."

"Me either. He looks so much like you, Gin, I thought he'd look more like Harry for some reason." Ron said.

"Why does everyone keep saying that? It's like they all expected him to pop out with black hair, green eyes and a lightning shaped scar! It's not impossible for him to look like me, you know!" Ginny said, suddenly angry.

"Hey, come on. I'm sorry. No one means anything bad by saying that, you know. Calm down." Ron said gently.

"No, I'm sorry," Ginny said softly. "I'm just very tired and I kind of want to get some sleep."

"Okay, we'll get going in a second. I want to hold my nephew first, though." He said, going over and taking the baby gently from Hermione. As Ron was holding him, Hermione gave Ginny a hug and congratulated them both again. Then she said, with a bright smile on her face, "Ron and I have something to tell you."

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"Well..." Ron said, a smile toying at his lips.

"I'm pregnant!" Hermione said victoriously with a huge grin on her face as she laughed.

"Hermione, are you serious?" Ginny asked enthusiastically, sitting up in bed immediately. Harry threw his arms around her in a bone-crushing hug, saying nothing, just hugging her tightly. If Ron didn't have James in his arms, he would have done the same to him.

"Congratulations, you guys. We're absolutely thrilled. Now we get to be aunt and uncle!" Ginny said. After Harry let her go, Hermione wiped her eyes and smiled.

"We'll leave you guys to get some sleep, sorry we came so late." Ron said. He looked down at his nephew, who had fallen asleep in his arms, and kissed his forehead. "It was wonderful to meet you, little man." He said quietly to the baby before handing him back to Harry. Then he went over and put his arm around Hermione, offering Ginny a smile as they turned to leave.

However, just as her hand was on the door, Hermione turned around impulsively and said, "I want to thank you two for always being there for us through all of this. Truthfully, I don't know if this is going to last or if it'll be like the time...like the time after Christmas. But this feels so right and we probably would have truly gone mad long ago if it wasn't for the two of you." She smiled a little through the tears in her eyes, wiped them again.

Ron said, "Okay, get some rest, the both of you. We're done being cheesy now." With a smile, he and his wife left the room.

The next few months went by, and although Ron and Hermione spent most of the time walking on eggshells, wondering when and if this would all be taken away from them, she at least couldn't help but feel ecstatic. Hermione passed the summer with Ginny, who was more than content being a stay-at-home mother with James, and a wonderful one, at that. Hermione loved every single part of being pregnant, and embraced everything, recognizing it for the miracle that it truly was. When her pants got too tight to button in July, she didn't get annoyed; she smiled and went shopping for new clothes. When she was too tired to clean the house, she just simply didn't clean and got more rest. She embraced each new change in her body and their lifestyle, and even began planning what the baby's room would look like and picking out names, even though it was only August and her due date was in February.

Ron, on the other hand, seemed very passive about the entire situation, and it worried Hermione. He hadn't perused any of the baby name books with her, even though she'd begged him to night after night, and when she had placed his hand on her stomach to feel the baby kick, he had just looked, well, scared and muttered something about doing the dishes (a completely new occurrence). Hermione was nervous. She had expected him to be thrilled, to be out buying furniture the day they found out and cooking her all of the strange foods she'd been craving lately and massaging her feet when they became swollen and ached. She had not, however, expected him to avoid talking about the pregnancy, to work later hours and not come to bed sometimes until after she'd fallen asleep for the evening. He hadn't looked at any of the pregnancy or parenting books she'd bought at Flourish and Blotts, even though she had urged him to. It wasn't that he was being cold towards her, or unfeeling to what was going on. He just wasn't as excited as she had thought he would be. It had been nagging at her for a while, but she was unsure whether or not she should say something to him.

However, she couldn't hold herself back one Tuesday in mid-August. She got out of bed and stretched, looking at herself in the mirror. Today was the big day, the one she had been waiting for practically since the moment she'd found out she was pregnant. Hermione was wondering what she should wear when she heard Ron groan a little, the way he always did after he woke up, and then he got out of bed, scratching his chest.

"Morning, luv," he said quietly, going over and hugging her briefly from behind. "How are you feeling?" He asked, his hand straying across her belly before he pulled it away.

"I'm good. Excited. I can't wait to find out if we're having a boy or a girl," She said, turning around and facing him, giving him a light kiss.

"I know, me too," he said in an offhand way, scratching his stomach and walking away from her, pulling his clothes out of the drawer. Seeing him do that suddenly gave Hermione a burst of confidence, enough to get her to say what she wanted to say.

"Ron?" She said hesitantly. "Is there something wrong?"

He turned around, holding a pair of pants. "No, why would something be wrong?"

She took a deep breath and she felt the words gush out of her. "I'm just really confused because we tried so hard for this for so long and now that I'm finally pregnant, you seem like you don't even...care."

"What do you mean, I don't care? How could you say that?" Ron asked, looking at her with disbelief written all over his face. "I care more about you and our baby than anything else in the world."

"But you barely even speak with me anymore and whenever I bring up anything about the baby, you just change the subject. And I've asked you a hundred times to read the books I bought with me but you just pretend to be busy with something else." Hermione said tearfully.

Ron came over to her and held her tightly in his arms. He wished he didn't, but he did know what Hermione was talking about. He had been distant with her, but he had his own reasons, none of them ending with him not loving or caring about her and the baby.

"Are you having second thoughts?" She asked quietly, wishing she didn't have to ask but knowing that if she didn't, she would be miserable and wonder what the answer would have been forever. "If you are, it's a bit late, you know."

"Absolutely not. You know how much we both wanted this baby." He said firmly.

"Then what is wrong? Please tell me, you know you can tell me anything, especially about this." She gripped his hands tightly, her eyes pleading with him. "Something is wrong, something isn't right. You'll feel better if you talk about it."

Ron sighed. "Okay. You're right. Something has been bothering me, but it has nothing to do with how much I love or care about you or the baby. I love the both of you more than anything, I swear. I've just been feeling a little nervous, I suppose."

"Nervous?"

"Yes. I've been nervous about whether I'm going to be a good father, or if I'm going to, I don't know, ruin this baby's life or something. I mean, look at me, I can barely take care of myself and you." He slowly looked up and met Hermione's eyes. "What if I'm a bad father? What if he or she grows up and hates me?" He said the last bit in a quiet voice, quieter than ever, because he hadn't wanted to admit that he was deathly afraid of that. He sometimes had bad dreams, where a small red-headed child of about 10 or 11 was saying that he (or she, it was never clear to him if it was a boy or a girl) hated him. This imaginary child told him he was a terrible father that had failed him or her, and would always fail his family. Looking back, he supposed it was odd for his own child to tell him he was a failure, but he brushed it aside.

Hermione hugged Ron as hard as she could, their baby between them, and he hugged her back. "Oh, Ron. How could you ever be a bad father? Someone who worries about that is not going to be a failure. Our little boy or girl will not hate you, I promise." She felt better now that she knew Ron wasn't having second thoughts about having a baby, or about being married to her, or any of the other numerous terrible things she had imagined had been running through his mind. And, to his own surprise, Ron did feel better that he had told her. There was no telling, really, what sort of father he would be until it actually came down to it, but he hoped Hermione was right. He hoped he wouldn't fail this tiny person who was depending on the both of them so much.

"We're in this together." He murmured into her ear.

Two hours later, they were sitting in one of the Healer's offices at St. Mungo, waiting for the Healer to rejoin them. She was a short, stout witch, the woman in charge of Hermione's prenatal care, and she had performed the spell needed for her to get the images of the baby and told them she would look at them and give them a full report in a few moments. They were now sitting together, anxiously waiting for her to come back.

A few moments later, she did just that, bursting in through the door and sitting across from the nervous couple. "Is everything alright?" Hermione asked, nervous and steeling herself for the news that something was wrong with their baby, or that there simply was no baby anymore. She prepared herself for this at every session, petrified that their dream would be taken back.

"Yes, everything is fine. Your baby girl is 100% perfect and everything is absolutely fine." The witch smiled at them as Hermione burst into tears and Ron pulled her close to him.

"We're having a _girl_," he said happily to her, and she nodded through her tears.


End file.
